Missile defence : Trump requests additional $4bn

U.S. President Donald Trump has requested for another four billion dollars for missile defence programmes to counter a threat from North Korea, the White House said on Tuesday.

Trump, who is on an extended tour of Asia, made the request in a letter to Congress, saying the additional money was urgently needed.

“This request supports additional efforts to detect, defeat, and defend against any North Korean use of ballistic missiles against the United States, its deployed forces, allies or partners,’’ Trump’s letter read.

Nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches by North Korea have intensified this year, resulting in international condemnation; a tightening of economic sanctions issued by the UN and heightened rhetoric between Washington and Pyongyang.

“The funding would go toward construction of an additional interceptor field in Alaska and provide initial funding to buy 20 new interceptors for the system,’’ The Hill reported.

Trump also requested about 1.2 billion for the administration’s new Afghanistan and South Asia strategy.

He said that these funds were needed to enable the deployment of an additional 3,500 troops in Afghanistan, Special Forces and other expenses associated with the strategy.

Report says the letter also asks for almost 700 million dollars to repair two Navy ships badly damaged in collisions in June and August.

Both are in the Japan-based U.S. Seventh Fleet.

Trump also asked Congress to act on the 2018 budget request for 1.6 billion dollars to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

It described the funds as a down payment on what the Department of Homeland Security needs to secure the border. (dpa)